Manifolding record



April 26, 1938. c. R: MA B ON MANIFOLDING RECORD I Filed March 1-, 19342 Sheets-Sheet 2:

INVENTOR. CARL f8. MAB

law,

' A TTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 26, 1938 UNITED STATES MANIFOLDING aaoonn Carl ltobertMabon, Niagara Falls, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to GilmanFanfold Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application March 1,1934, Serial No. 713,455

12Claims. (01. 282-12). 7

This invention relates to improvements in records or manifoldingassemblies, wherein long continuous record and carbon strips areinterleaved in manifolding transfer relation with each other, and moreparticularly the invention relates to an improved means for attachingsuch strips together in the assembly, and to the provision for severingthe inscribed sections from the complete assembly.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improvedmanifolding assembly of the class mentioned having-an improvedstructural form of weakened tear-off lines which are adapted to hold thestrips together in collocated position with reference to each other.

By means of the present invention a record comprising a pluralityofsuperposed layers is provided with a novel structure functioning in anovel and advantageous manner to effectually guard against accidentalshifting of one layer with respect to other layers. Moreover, by thepresent invention, a structure is furnished which will in no wiseinterfere with the present mechanisms as incorporated in registers,typewriter, 'billing machines, etc.. in connection with which the recordis intended for use.

According to anotherfeature of improvement, the sheets or strips makingup the record assembly are structurally modified so as to cause themodified parts of the different superposed strips to engage, andinterlock with each other in such a manner as to retain them in theirproper assembled relation.

Another object is to provide an improved interlocking structure of thestrips of .the record assembly so as to retain them in collocatedposition, andat the same time to weaken said strips along the lines ofthe interlocking strip structure to facilitate severance thereof alongthese lines, whereby groups or sets of relatively superposed inscribedsheets maybe severed from the assembly.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improvedstructural form of perforation for weakening a plurality of superposedstrips for severance at intervals therealong, and for interlocking insuch a manner as to retain these strips in assembled relation.

Further objects of the invention are those of providing a mechanism'aswellv as devising a method of manufacture by means of which the recordand structure may be readily and economically produced, without it beingnecessary to modify or reconstruct record producing mechanism as atpresent existing.

.a slightly different structure;

Fig. 3A is a fragmentary perspective view of the embodiment of theinvention shown in Fi 3;

iFig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the embodiment of Figs. 1and 2; I

Fig. 5 is a perspective view similar to Figs. 3A and i but showing afurther modified embodie ment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the apparatus which may be employed toproduce a record ofthe type shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 Fig. 7 is asectional side view of the parts shown in Fig. 6; and 1 Fig. 8 is a viewsimilar to Fig. '7, but showing the apparatus employed in the methodwhich is followed. in producing a record of the type shown in Figs. -3and 5.

The present invention lends itself to use in connection with practicallyevery type of record wherein superposed layers or strips are employed,as for instance in records wherein the record strips are separate,-individual strips, or in fanfold records wherein the strips areintegrally connected together at the longitudinal side edge of therecord. Preferably, however, and as illustrated, it is embodied in azigzag record comprising superposed layers of carbon and inscriptionreceiving material, the record betweenthe lines of fold beingconveniently furnished with indicia at least in its uppermostinscription receiving layer, so that a set of leaves or record forms areprovided between the lines of fold. This set is preferably severed alongthe. lines of fold subsequent to receiving the lines of inscription, andits component parts are distributed as may be desirable or necessary.

Heretofore a simple line of perforations, scoring, or other form ofweakening has been formed along the line'of fold so that, in cooperation'witha tearing bar, or even independently.thereof, the 'inscribed'set ofrecord forms migh be severed from the body of the record. It is' reposedby the present invention that in lieu of these lines ofperforationsalone an interlockingstructure will be provided along this line placedtongues occur.

of the record set, but will, in fact, facilitate such separation, whileat the same time preventing accidental displacement of the superposedlayers of the set. Of course, .if a zigzag record is not employed, thestructure, instead of .being located in line with the line of folds, maybe otherwise disposed. In fact, even where the structure is embodied in,the preferred form of record, it need not necessarily occur in line withthe fold line, nor need it (as illustrated) extend entirely across therecord.

' Accordingly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a setor manifolding assemblyID of the long continuous traveler type is shown including relativelysuperposed record strips ll preferably carrying suitable blank forms andalso including carbons or transfer strips I! also of the long continuoustraveler type and interleaved in transfer manifolding relation with therecord strips. The assembly may include any desired number of recordstrips with interleaved transfer strips. but instead of the transferstrips it may be desirable in some cases to coat the under surfaces ofthe record strips with transfer material for the purpose of making thetransfer inscriptions. The

transfer strips may be coated with transfer material on the undersurface alone in the usual manner, or on both the upper and lowersurfaces if desired. The record assembly is preferably.

folded along transverse lines as shown in Fig. 1, so that the sets ofform leaves occupy superposed positions. It will be understood that thesets of form leaves are arranged in a series along the manifoldingassembly, being formed either by the transverse fold lines or by theweakened transverse severance lines formed in both the record and carbonstrips and described in detail below. The transverse severance linesmentioned may, as shown in Fig. 1, be located substantially upon thefoldlines of the assembly, or they may be spaced therealong at other pointsas desired. These transverse weakened severance lines are of. specialimproved construction provided by slitting the-superposed strips alonglines deviating from straight lines so as to provide a series offlexible tongues l3 integrally attached to the respective strips andhaving free end and side edges provided by the deviating slits.

Thus the face of the record in line with the point of severance isformed with a series of depressed areas in which the downwardly.displaced edge of an upper layer bears against the adjacent edge of alowerlayer. It is, of course, understood that this displacement might beof any desired degree, but in any event a structure is presented whichprevents longitudinal shifting. or creeping of one layer with respect toan adjacent layer. This occurs because the tongues will abut against theadjacent edges ofthe layers if a tendency to shift in one directionoccurs, while the tongues might straighten out if relative shifting inan opposite direction is to occur.

In certaininstances where it may be desired to safeguard in an even moreemphatic manner against the possibility of shifting, the record mayincorporate slitsand displacement such that, in effect, two series ofopposed and oppositely dis- Y This has best been illustrated in Figs. 3and 5, in which the numeral l3 shows tongues displaced in the mannershown in Figs. 2 and 4, while the numeral 14 indicates the opposedtongues, it being noted, as in Fig. 3, that'these tongues may be alignedlongitudinally of the record witlrea'ch other while, as in Fig.

5, they may be staggered with respect to each other. Obviously by thisstructure danger of shifting either sideways or longitudinally of thelayers, as well as the individual sheets thereof, will be reducedmaterially, if not completely eliminated, in that the layers will be socompletely interlocked that a deliberate straightening of the tongues orrelatively forcible separation of the sheets will be necessary to allowof slippage in any direction. I

In the embodiments of Fig. 3 and 5, it will be noticed that the tonguesl3 of one series are deflected with reference to the general plane ofthe assembly in a direction opposite .to the deflection of the tonguesll of the other series. However, in the various illustrative embodimentsof the invention shown, each of, the tongues is deflected depthwise ofthe assembly, that is, the tongue deflection is atan angle to thegeneral plane of the strip in which the tongue is located, whereby eachtongue in its deflected position will lie' in the aperture of anadjacent strip in inclined position therein. Also, in Figs. 3 and 5, thetongues of the adjacent series are faced in opposite directions andtoward each other, or in other words, their free end edges arepositioned in opposite directions from their respective integralattachments with the strips from which they fly. In the embodiment ofFigs. 2 and 4, the tongues all fly in the same direction with referenceto their attached edges.

With a view to producing a structure of the present invention, the pressupon; which the record is made may be equipped with a structure of thenature shown in Figs. 6 to 8, but a separate apparatus including thisstructure might be employed. In the first two of these views, a blade I5is formed with a series of punch elements l6, this blade cooperatingwith a'suitable supporting plate l'l which is slotted as at l8 andnotched as at. l9 to receive-the punches it. Both the plate I l and theblade I! may be mounted upon, or form parts of, rotary cylinders, or, ifdesired, they might be otherwise driven. In any event, as the papermoves past this station, the punches It will move downwardly, thuscutting the record to provide a series of tongues which are displaced toform, the structure shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Where mutually cooperatingpunches are employed, a plate 20 may be utilized to support the record,and the punches 2| reciprocate in plate openings to cut opposed tonguesin the record, it being obvious that the individual punches may beoifset with respect to each other if the tongues of-the dif-' ferentseries are to occupy relatively staggered positions.

. least a short distance along the opposite sides of the tongue andintersecting the end section which forms the' free end of the tongue. Asshown, each slit eirtends entirely through the strip at the end sectionthereof and for at least a portion of each side section, and at theparts of the latter-adjoiningthe end section. The side sections of theslit are disposed at an angle to the general line apertures.

of the tongues and apertures on the strip. This arrangement provides thetongue with a free swinging end and flying from its integral attach-.

ment with the strip. Thetongues thus formed are of the same size andshape as the apertures provided by the slits and the superposedapertures and tongues in all of the superposed strips f are ofsubstantially the same size and shape.

In the assembly constructed and arranged as described, the tongues aredeflected from their original'position and with reference to the generalplane of the assembly into slightly-inclined positions as shown in thevarious illustrative embodiments. When thus deflected thetongues occupyadjacent apertures, the exact location in the apertures :being dependentupon the extent' tions mentioned lie substantially within the upper andlower surfaces or bounding planes of the assembly. This arrangement thusprovides an interlocking structure functioning to bind the stripstogether in the assembly and at the same time forming weakened severancelines by virtue of the spaced apertures formed by the slits, thusproviding for the severance of the inscribed sets of form sheets fromthe long continuous manifolding assembly.

When assembled as described, the tongues occupy inclined positions inthe respective-apertures and they are also in edgewise relation in theIn other words, the tongues occupy an inclined edgewise position in theapertures in which one end edge of each tongue is connected integrallywith the respective strip, and its opposite end edge is positionedwithin the aperture in juxtaposition to the strip material at the endedge of the aperture. It is preferable that the tongues as shown extendthroughout their lengths substantially longitudinally of the recordassembly. With this arrangement, the tongues are very effective and welladapted to engage with the strip material at the aperture edges toprevent longitudinal and transverse relative move.- ments between thesuperposed strips. At the same time the opposite lateral or side edgesof the tongue are also positioned in the respective apertures injuxtaposition -to the strip material at the lateral aperture edges. Dueto the fact that the tongues are of substantially the same width as theapertures, said tongues engage closely in the apertures. in frictionalcontact with the exposed strip edges at the apertures to provide arather firm interlock holding-the strips in col located position andpreventing relative lateral movements thereof. The end edgesof thetongueswill simultaneously cooperate in' a similar manner with the stripmaterial in the apertures to check undue relative longitudinal stripshift, and in the embodiments of Figs. 3 and 5, such relativelongitudinal shift will be checked in opposite directions. Although thisinterlocking connection functions very satisfactorily to retain thestrips in collocated position, due to the arrangethe assembly is tornalong the improved weakened severance line, the interlock is released tosome Ordiextent so thatthe leaves of the severed set may be readilyseparated from 'each other; this is particularly true in the embodimentshown in Figs. 2 and 4, but the interlocking arrangement may becontinued in the forms of Figs. 3 and5 even after severance of a set ofleaves from the assembly, so that the holding effect of the inter-'locking arrangement may be continued to some extent at least to holdthe-sheets of the severed sets together.-

Since certain changes may be made in the above constructionand'differe'nt embodiments of the invention maybe resorted to withoutdepart- 1 ing from the scope of the invention, it is intended thatailmatter contained in the above description or shown in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire toprotect'by Letters Pat-.

cut is:

1. A manifolding record assembly of the characterdescribed having, incombination, a plurality of continuous record strips in superposedrelation to each other, said record assembly having one or moretransverse dividing lines along which it may be divided into a pluralityof sets of record sheets, carbon sheets in interleaved transfer relationwith the "record sheets of said sets, the'dividing lines in certain ofsaid strips ineluding a series of strip weakening perforations weakeningthe strips for severance along said dividing lines and having tonguesintegral with certain of the strips, said tongues deflected depthwise ofthe record assembly from one strip into engaging relation with theperforations in an'adjacent strip, the lateral dimensions of saidtongues being substantially the same as those ofthe re spectivereceiving perforations, so'that the tongues closely'engage with thestrip material at the perforation margins, thus .to hold the strips andsheets in assembled manifolding 'relation, said tongues and perforationsof said severance lines extending substantially to the opposite edges ofthe strips in which they are respectively located.

' 2. In a manifolding assembly, in combination a plurality of relativelysuperposed record and transfer strips each having one or more weakenedseverance lines, said severance lines being arranged in group relationin the assembly, and dividing the assembly into sets of relativelysuperposed leaves, each of said weakened lines including a multiplicityof apertures closely spaced apart and arranged in a-series' in therespective strips so as to weaken said strips for tearing sev-. erancealong the severance lines, said severance. lines including also a,multiplicity of tongues integral with the respective strips, saidapertures and tongues being positioned respectively in alignment witheach other depthwise of the'assembly, said tongues being deflected awayfrom their respective strips andlying in the respective apertures, theedges of said tongues being in close engagement with the strip materialat the respec-'. tive aperture margins. so as to frictionally hold thestrips detachablyin assembled manifolding I relation..

3. In a manifolding assembly, in combination, a plurality of-relativelysuperposed strips including record and transfer strips positioned inmanifolding transfer relation with each other, a plurality of saidstrips each having one or more weakened severance lines, said severancelines being arranged in group relation in the assembly, and dividingtheassembly into sets of relatively superposedrecord and transferleaves, each of said weakened lines including a multiplicity 'ofapertures closely spaced apart and arranged in a series in therespective strips so as to weaken said strips for tearing severancealong the severance away from their respective strips and engaging in,

inclined edgewise relation in the respective apertures and each havingfree end and side edges in juxtaposition to the respective edges of theapertures so as to abut thereagainst to detachably hold the stripstogether in superposed manifolding relation, and to restrain themagainst relative longitudinal and transverse movements.

4. In a manifolding assembly, in combination, a plurality of relativelysuperposed record and transfer strips in inscription transfer relationwith each other, a plurality of said strips each having one or moreweakened severance lines, said severance lines being arranged in grouprelation in the assembly, and dividing the assembly into sets ofrelatively superposed leaves, each of said weakened lines including amultiplicity of apertures closely spaced apart and arranged in a seriesin the respective strips so as to weaken said strips for tearingseverance along the severance lines, said severance lines including alsoa multiplicity of tongues integral with the respective strips, saidapertures and tongues being positioned respectively in alignment witheach other depthwise of the assembly, and being substantia'lly of thesame size and shape so that the apertures closely receive the tongues,said tongues being deflected from their respective strips into engagingrelation with the apertures so as to fric tionally engage with theaperture edges to detachably hold the strips together and to retain themin aligning manifolding relation.

5. In a manifolding assembly, in combination, a plurality of relativelysuperposed manifolding record strips each having a longitudinal seriesof weakened severance lines dividing the assembly into sets ofrelatively superposed leaves, each of saidweakened lines includingamultiplicity of apertures closely spaced apart and arranged in a seriesin the respective strips so as to weaken said strips for tearingseverance along the severance lines, said severance lines including alsoa multiplicity= of tongues integral with the respectivestrips, saidapertures and tongues being positioned respectively in alignment witheach other depthwise of the assembly, said tongues of each severanceline being staggered with relation to each other and facing in oppositedirections and being deflected in opposite directions away from theirrespective strips and engaging in the respective apertures, said tonguesbeing substantially of the same widthas the respective receivingapertures so that the opposite lateral edges of said tongues lie inclose contact with the strip material at the respective aperturemargins, thus to hold the strips in assembled manifolding relation, saidtongues throughout their lengths extending longitudinally of theassembly.

6. In a manifolding assembly, in combination,

a plurality of relatively superposed manifolding record strips eachhaving a longitudinal series ranged in series formation in therespective strips so as to weaken said strips for tearing severancealong the severance lines, said severancelines including also amultiplicity of tongues integral with the respective strips, saidapertures and tongues being positioned respectively in alignment witheach other depthwise of the assembly, said tongues of each severanceline being arranged in two series facing toward each other and inopposite directions, and being deflected away from their respectivestrips and engaging in the respective apertures, said tongues beingsubstantially of the same width as the respective receiving apertures'sothat the opposite lateral edges of said tongues lie in close contactwith the strip material at the respective aperture margins, thus to holdthe strips in assembled manifoiding relation, said tongues and aperturesof said severance lines extending substantially to the opposite edges ofthe strips in which they are respectively located.

7. In a manifolding assembly, in combination,

tongues integral with the respective strips, said apertures and tonguesbeing positioned respectively in alignment with each other depthwise ofthe assembly, said tongues of each severance line being arranged in twoseries facing in opposite directions, and the tongues of one seriesbeing staggered with those of the other series, said tongues beingdeflected away from their respective strips and engaging in therespective apertures, said tongues being substantially of the same widthas the respective receiving apertures so that the opposite lateral edgesof said tongues lie in close contact with the strip material at therespective aperture margins, thus to hold the strips in assembledmanifolding relation, the upper tongues of each of said weakened lineslying substantially within the bounds of the upper and lower assemblysurfaces.

8. In a manifolding assembly, in combination. a plurality of relativelysuperposed manifolding record strips each having one or more weakenedseverance lines, said severance lines being arand tongues being.positioned respectively in alignment with each other depthwise of theassembly, said tongues of each severance line being arranged in twoseries facing in opposite direc-' tions, and the tongues of one seriesbeing in longitudinal alignment respectively with those of the otherseries and having their free ends disposed toward each other, saidtongues being deflected away from their respective strips and. engagingin the respective apertures so as to hold the strips in assembledmanifolding relation,

9. In a manifolding assembly, in combination,

a plurality of relatively superposed strips each having one or moreweakened severance lines, said severance lines being arranged in grouprelation in the assembly, and dividing the assembly into sets ofrelatively superposed leaves, each of said weakened severance linesincluding closely spaced slits in the strips, weakening them for tearingseverance alongv the severance lines, said slits being arranged to.provide a series of closely spaced apertures and integral tongues, saidapertures and tongues being in respectively superposed relation in thesuperposed strips and the tongues being deflected into the respectivealigned apertures and lying with their edges in close contact with thestrip material at the aperture margins, thus to hold the strips inassembled manifoldingvrelation, said apertures and tongues of each saidseverance line being arranged in a single series extending substantiallyto the opposite edges of the strip in which they are located.

10. In a manifolding assembly, in combination, a plurality of relativelysuperposed strips each having one or more weakened seve'rancelines, saidseverance lines being arranged in group relation in the assembly, anddividing the assembly into sets of relatively superposed leaves, each ofsaid weakened severance lines including closely spaced slits in thestrips, weakening them for tearing severance along the severance lines,said slits being arranged to provide a series of closely spacedapertures and integral tongues of substantially the same size and shapeas the'apertures, said apertures and tongues being in rehaving one ormore weakened severance lines, said severance lines being arranged ingroup relation in the assembly, and dividing the assembly into sets ofrelatively superposed leaves, each of said weakened severance linesincluding a series of closely spaced slits in the strips weakening themfor tearing severance along the severance lines, each slit deviating toform a tongue and an aperture, each of said tongues having a free endand free side edges and being deflected into an adjacent said apertureand said end and side edges being positioned to'cooperate in abuttingrelation with the strip edges at said apertures for detachably retainingthe strips together and for restraining them against longitudinal andtransverse relative movements out of aligned relation.

12. In a maniiolding assembly, in combination, a plurality ofrelativelysuperposed record and transfer strips each having one or more weakenedseverance lines, said severance lines being arranged in group relationin the assembly, and dividing the assembly into sets of relativelysuperposed leaves, each of said weakened lines including iamultiplicityof apertures closely spaced apart and arranged in a series in therespective strips so as to weaken said strips for tearing severancealong the severance lines, said sever- CARL R. MABON.

